“We the undersigned intend to oppose any legislation that will infringe on the American people’s constitutional rights to bear arms or on their ability to exercise the right without being subject to government surveillance,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) said in a letter delivered yesterday to Senate Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Reid last week proposed votes on expanding gun background checks and stiffening gun-trafficking penalties while he also plans to allow amendment votes on an assault weapons ban and limits on gun ammunition clips.